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Sorry to hear about your loss, there such lovely plecos, its always risky using bleach and if used to much the effect can be severe, scalding hot water to wash some of the things with is better a know of people who use bleach and everything is okay but some fish may have weaker emmune systems than other.

When UGFs are maintained properly, they are great at what they do, which is bio-filtration. You should vacuum the stuff underneath the grid by using a gravel vac to suction through the tubes to remove the mulm. You won't ever have nitrate creep if maintained this way.

Sorry to hear about your loss, there such lovely plecos, its always risky using bleach and if used to much the effect can be severe, scalding hot water to wash some of the things with is better a know of people who use bleach and everything is okay but some fish may have weaker emmune systems than other.

Yeah ... I think I've pretty much decided it wasn't the bleach. I was extremely careful and it didn't harm any of the other fish. Still ... it remains a mystery. thanks for checking in. appreciate it.

When UGFs are maintained properly, they are great at what they do, which is bio-filtration. You should vacuum the stuff underneath the grid by using a gravel vac to suction through the tubes to remove the mulm. You won't ever have nitrate creep if maintained this way.

I would just keep it. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

When you say suction through the tubes - do you mean remove the tube from the grate then fix the gravel vac directly over the hole? Or suction at the top after removing the power heads? I could do either :o) thanks for the suggestion.
And I hope you're right. My cannister is filled with biomax (thanks Taurus), floss and a sponge. The HOB is stuffed with polyfiberfill and a sponge. And I vac weekly. Trates have stayed very low in this tank. Ten or less just before a w/c. but as my stock grows in size, I suspect that may change so I do want to keep on top of it.

You don't have to remove the tube from the grate. Remove the powerhead, and get a long piece of tubing about as round as the one used in a gravel vaccum & snake it down one of the uplift tubes & suck out all the detritus. Be very careful when snaking the vinyl tube because if you pull out one of the uplift tubes, you probably won't be able to get it back in.

You don't have to remove the tube from the grate. Remove the powerhead, and get a long piece of tubing about as round as the one used in a gravel vaccum & snake it down one of the uplift tubes & suck out all the detritus. Be very careful when snaking the vinyl tube because if you pull out one of the uplift tubes, you probably won't be able to get it back in.

You should be fine doing this every 6 months.

great. thanks. My only concern is if my aquean water changer can provide enough suction. It's on a 50 foot hose